


The Black Box

by Nyama



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29908968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyama/pseuds/Nyama
Summary: You always learn something about your parents when you go through their belongings.
Relationships: Lin Beifong & Suyin Beifong & Toph Beifong
Kudos: 21





	The Black Box

_The phone rings_

Two women, miles and miles apart, startle awake and lurch for the phone. Neither hears a ringtone, and they say each other’s name at the same time.

In unison: “She’s gone.”

They sit in silence, their spouses perched behind them, waiting.

Lin breaks the silence.

“It isn’t even midnight. Kya and I will get my bison in the morning, and meet you there. You can get there faster than we can.”

Suyin says, “It’s almost morning here. I’ll take Bataar after breakfast. Go to the island first. You should tell Opal in person, along with the others. We’ll talk to the boys in the morning.”

“I will, Su. Do you want us to bring Opal with us? I think she’s here with Bolin for another week or so.”

“Bring him, too. He’s part of the family.”

“We’ll drop Opal and Bolvin in Zaofu.”

“KYA!” Lin pulls the phone away from her ear, glowering uselessly at it, “Hey, that hurt!”

“Kya, I know you’re listening. Don’t let Lin throw Bolin off in the air. He’s too heavy for Opal to carry.”

Kya chuckles quietly, leans close to Lin’s ear and loudly promises, earning herself a shove.

“We will call Zuko before we leave the island. No sense in waking him up earlier.”

Somehow, the distance between Republic City and Zaofu, between two sisters so long estranged feels smaller than ever before. They both know they would remember the last impression of their mother’s love, one last touch through the vines. She had given them a connection with each other, just as they lost one with her.

“Lin, I know you felt it. She loved you.”

“I know.” Kya could feel her deflate, and knew her tears weren’t going to wait much longer.

“Su, I haven’t always been the best sister to you, but I love you.”

“I love you, Lin. I hope I have become a better sister than I used to be.”

“I’ll see you in two days.”

Two women, miles and miles apart but closer than ever, hang up a phone and collapse in grief.

The miles between them dwindle, then vanish.

There would be no ceremony. No speeches. Just Su and Bataar, Lin and Kya to collect a few small items. Lin takes the head band she used to wear. Bataar finds a small sculpture Huan made for his grandmother. No one felt guilty about returning the slimy mushrooms to the swamp.

When they find a black box, heavy but unadorned, neither daughter can explain it. It lay in a sheltered spot, nestled under some vines but resting on naked stone. When Bataar picks it up, they can see a very rough approximation of a fire symbol impressed in the rock underneath. Su laughs and says, “It looks like a finger painting.”

Her eyes wide, Kya surprises herself by saying, “I think I know where that box came from.”

The sisters look at Kya in confusion. “What is it, and why don’t we know about it?”

“Bumi once said that a little while before dad passed, Uncle Sokka came to the island - not that that was unusual. But he came in his own boat and late at night. Bumi was walking outside, and saw dad give Sokka a small, black… he wasn’t sure, but he guessed it was a chest from how they carried it. Maybe Sokka gave it to your mom.”

Su looks at Lin. “Should we try to open it?”

Lin examines the box before looking back at her sister.

“No. This belongs to Zuko.”

“He is the last of them,” Kya says, her own grief more raw than she had expected.

“Then we’ll take it to him.”

_They travel to the Fire Nation_

Lin coaxes her bison down to settle near the Fire Palace, to find Izumi and Iroh waiting.

“Lin! Su! The watch told us a bison was coming, but you didn’t call ahead. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

Su slides down from the saddle to give Izumi a hug.

“I’m sorry we didn’t call, but we were in the swamp. Mom didn’t keep a phone handy.”

The others start dismounting, and Izumi looks at Suyin. “Father told me about Toph. I’m so sorry. I know she enjoyed knowing your children.”

Su sighs. “We found something we think Zuko should see.”

Izumi startles slightly, and squeezes Su’s arms. No one notices Iroh slip away back inside.

Lin dismounts from Lan Lan, and speaks to a guard to get some water and feed for the fuzzy beast. She scratches his eye and pats his nose, not quite sure when she let herself get attached to the smelly creature.

Lin summons the black box, and asks, “Is your father able to see us?”

“My child, I am always able to see all of you.”

Zuko steps slowly forward, supported by a tall, straight staff. His scar seems paler than they had ever seen it.

Bataar stays back near the bison while the four women step up to greet Zuko. Iroh stays close to his grandfather, and helps him to a nearby bench. Lin kneels in front of him, and holds the box up.

“Uncle Zuko, we found this box among Toph’s things. It looked like she wanted us to bring it to you.”

Zuko reached out a hand to rest on top of the box. He looked up, and asked, “Kya, where are your brothers? They should be here.”

Kya, standing behind Lin, kicks her foot. “We told them to stay home.”

Zuko nods, and gently caresses the box in Lin’s hands. “Then we will wait for them. Tell them to bring Pema, Korra and Asami. Come, dinner will be served soon.”

_They wait for the others_

Bumi, Tenzin, Pema, Korra, and Asami arrive late the next day, rather bewildered by the summons.

After dinner, Zuko leads them out onto a balcony overlooking the western horizon. He stares into the sunset while the younger generations stand around him.

“We were children when we ended the Hundred Year War. We had so much work to do, so many more battles to fight. When Aang turned 21, we sent everyone else away and spent a week together here in one of the old wings. We pretended to fend for ourselves again. We remembered the past ten years, fighting against each other - and for each other. We found an old wine cellar and worked our way through every bottle we could find. Until we found this one bottle. Toph shaped a box from the stone in the cellar. We placed the bottle inside. I heated the edge until it melted. Katara and Aang cooled it back down to seal it.”

He draws his hand across the surface, lost in memories.

“It stayed here for a few years, then Mai and I gave it to Suki. Aang found it among her belongings, and took it back with him. I know he gave it to Sokka before he died, but I’m not sure what happened between then and now.”

“We agreed that the last of us would drink it with the ones to care for this world after us. We did not dream, then, that we would have such children as you. We were not perfect parents, but you are outstanding children.”

Su would never tell anyone that it was Lin who reached for her hand first.

“I will heat the box and loosen the seam. Lin and Suyin, please open it for us.”

They watch as Zuko trains a tiny flame along the outside of the box. Lin and Su look at each other, then begin to separate the top and bottom. Inside lies an ancient, unlabeled bottle.

Zuko picks it up and breaks the seal. He pours one glass, and raises it to the setting sun.

“Suki, Aang, Sokka, Mai, Katara, Toph. You were the friends of my youth. We built nations. We made mistakes. You have left me here with our children. Izumi, Bumi, Kya, Lin, Tenzin and Suyin. Aang, you are still with us in Korra. And they have brought Pema, Bataar, and Asami. They have children of their own. We have left the world a better place. And they will make it better still.”

He drinks, and refills his glass before pouring one for everyone.

“To love and friendship, generation to generation.”

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by
> 
> https://youtu.be/ize5lZoIlBk


End file.
